TOKYO, Jan. 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- NHN Japan, the owner and operator of the free-calling and free-messaging app "LINE," announced on January 11 that its official camera app "LINE camera" has been downloaded over 20 million* times in just 10 months since the release of the service. (*Download figures are for iPhone/Android apps combined.)

This easy-to-use camera app allows users to edit and decorate their photos taken on smartphone cameras and then to share their finished creations with both LINE friends as well as other users across a range of SNS services.

One of the reasons for the LINE camera's success can be explained by an original feature which gives users the ability to decorate their own photos using LINE's popular Sticker Characters. The LINE camera was released on April 12 for Android and April 26 for iPhone, and about a month after this, on May 9, downloads exceeded the 5 million mark, followed by the 10 million mark 3 months later on August 7.

Even after this, the LINE camera continued to improve, adding new editing features much to the delight of its users. The app has continued to grow in popularity and has exceeded the 20 million-download mark in just 10 months since the service release.

Up until now, the LINE camera has reached the No.1 spot in the Free Apps category at App Stores in 14 countries and regions, and No.1 in the Camera category at App Stores in 27 countries as well as achieving the No.1 spot in the Camera Category at Google Play stores in 17 countries.

The LINE camera reached the No.1 spot in the Free Apps category in the following 14 countries and regions spanning the Asian region: Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, Thailand, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Nepal. NHN has also stated that there is increasing use of the LINE camera in Spain where it has also been ranked No.1 in the Camera Category at App Store/Google Play.

There may be a wide range of other camera apps which offer filters and other effects. However, the LINE camera has combated this by offering a vast array of functions such as filters, scattering of heart-icons, and the option to create hand-written messages -- all of which enable a finish which is similar to the Japanese photo decorating phenomenon, "Purikura." The secret of the LINE camera's success does not end here. The user-friendly interface and the option for users to decorate their own photos using LINE's popular Sticker Characters, as well as the photo-sharing options to various SNS including LINE, Twitter, Facebook, mixi, Sina Weibo, Renren, me2day, Cyworld etc., have all contributed to the LINE camera becoming popular all around the globe.

NHN has stated that it will continue expanding and improving features for the LINE camera and other LINE-related services with the aim of enriching and enhancing the communicative experience between LINE users.